This wild pear tree had originally grown thin and small, with sparse leaves. The pears on it weren’t very large either—she could pick two or three at a time with one hand. They were still green, covered in dark brown spots, and didn’t look very appealing. Shen Qinghe had tasted them before; they were sour and astringent, the flesh dry, with almost no juice.
After staying in the space for two days, the dark brown spots on the pears were still there, but much lighter. The pears themselves had grown larger—at least twice the size of the previous ones.
She washed one and took a bite. Her eyes lit up immediately—it was sweet! Juicy too! Even better than the pears Zhou Chunfeng had bought from the supply and marketing cooperative!
The space really was something amazing! Shen Qinghe tried some of the other already-ripened fruits. Without exception, their taste had all improved—though their appearance hadn’t changed. She wondered whether the future fruits would grow free of spots.
The last time her third brother and sister-in-law had brought back apples, she had planted the seeds in the space next to the pear tree. Now, several tiny green sprouts had already emerged. Nearby, on the tree stump that once bore silver fungus, the spots she had picked before had sprouted a small patch of snow-white fungus again, and its quality was better than that grown outside.
Seeing the thriving growth in the space, Shen Qinghe’s heart filled with hope. She would definitely make sure her family lived well!
The sun blazed overhead.
Lin Yingxue looked at the endless land in front of her, at the grass that seemed impossible to clear, and felt utterly hopeless. She wore a straw hat that blocked most of the sunlight, yet sweat still streamed down her face uncontrollably. Her clothes stuck to her skin, damp and sticky—the feeling she hated most.
But what made her feel even more desperate was the recent rumors in Shenjia Bay about her and Gu Linchuan. Why was everyone talking about it? She had already struggled to hold her head high at the youth work station, being the daughter of a wealthy family. Now she was treated like a rat in the street, with everyone staring at her with strange eyes. This time, she really felt like jumping into the river.
Last time, she hadn’t really intended to commit suicide. She had known Gu Linchuan would return at that time, and had jumped to provoke his pity. In the end, he did choose to save her over Shen Qinghe, and she had been happy. But the current situation was nothing she wanted to see.
“What are you standing there for? Don’t tell me you’re looking for Gu Linchuan?” Liu Yun sneered from beside her. These past few days, she had been looking for an opportunity to catch the two of them meeting. But Lin Yingxue had kept a low profile, only going to the fields, so Liu Yun hadn’t had a chance. Yet, despite Lin Yingxue’s inaction, the news of their affair had already spread throughout Shenjia Bay.
This both relieved and frustrated Liu Yun—who had spread it so fast? Right now, with rumors flying, the two of them would surely be even more afraid to meet.
After all, these were just rumors with no proof yet, but she wanted to crush Lin Yingxue completely.
A flash of disgust crossed Lin Yingxue’s mind. Liu Yun clung to her like a piece of stubborn glue—always sticking, impossible to shake off. She was revolted. She shouldn’t have bothered with Zhang Mingcheng in the first place.
“Liu Zhiqing, what nonsense are you talking? I have nothing to do with Comrade Gu,” Lin Yingxue said.
“Don’t play dumb. Now all of Shenjia Bay knows you two are having an affair. You think you can deny it?”
“You… rumors stop at the wise. These villagers are uneducated. You’re a youth from the city—are you as ignorant as them?”
“Oh?” Liu Yun said, then loudly accused, “So Comrade Lin, you look down on the villagers of Shenjia Bay, thinking they’re all just country bumpkins!”
The workers around them looked up. Many were Shenjia Bay locals, and someone asked, “Liu Zhiqing, what did you just say?”
“Comrade Lin said the villagers are uneducated country folk.”
Lin Yingxue’s face changed. “Liu Yun, what are you talking about? I never said that!”
“You said it yourself. Don’t try to deny it. Comrade Zhang heard it too, right, Zhang Zhiqing?”
Zhang Nan nodded truthfully. “Comrade Lin did say the villagers were uneducated and ignorant.”
“Comrade Lin, that’s not right. We villagers may lack education, but that doesn’t make us ignorant!”
“Exactly! She’s a wealthy heiress and looks down on us. Ridiculous!”
“She should live in the cowshed like everyone else!”
“…”
The ridicule from those around her made Lin Yingxue grind her teeth. She looked pleadingly at Zhang Mingcheng, who had been kind to her before, only to see him shift his gaze away.
Damn it! All of them were opportunistic scoundrels! Lin Yingxue clenched her hands so tightly that the sharp pain in her palms seemed almost numb.
Watching this, Liu Yun felt a rush of satisfaction. She and Zhang Mingcheng had grown up together, both sent to the countryside from Jisheng Province. Their families had promised them to each other, and she had always considered herself his fiancée. She had thought they could marry here after coming to the countryside, but everything had changed since meeting Lin Yingxue.
They had planned to register their marriage this year, but after meeting Lin Yingxue, every time she brought up the marriage, Zhang Mingcheng would dodge the topic. Combined with the attention he paid to Lin Yingxue, how could she not see that he had transferred his affections?
Liu Yun hated Lin Yingxue and Zhang Mingcheng—one knew he had a fiancée and still pursued someone else, the other had a fiancée but showed affection to another woman. Neither was worth anything.
The most ridiculous thing: after Lin Yingxue’s heiress identity was exposed, Zhang Mingcheng even came over and suggested they register their marriage. Did he think she was trash to pick up?
“Comrade Lin has already cut ties with her family. How can she be called an heiress? Besides, since she can settle in Shenjia Bay, that shows there’s nothing wrong with her,” said a man in a vest, wiping his sweat.
Someone scoffed. “Weidong, you’re not thinking of taking Comrade Lin as your wife, are you?”
Shen Weidong admitted frankly, “Yes… though I don’t know if she would accept me.”
Lin Yingxue lowered her head, trembling with anger. A widower in his thirties dares to covet her!
No, she had to figure something out. She couldn’t go on like this.